Condenser



Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONDENSER of Pennsylvania Application December 1, 1936, Serial No. 113,543

7 Claims.

My invention relates to surface condensers for the condensation of exhaust steam and it has for an object to provide for stiffening of the tubes of a tube nest so as to resist deflection thereof due to impact of exhaust steam.

A further object of my invention is to provide a condenser wherein the tubes are rolled in at each end and wherein one or more intermediate tube support sheets afford intermediate support for the tubes together with stiffening means cooperating With the tube nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet and serving to resist deflection of the tubes due to impact of exhaust steam.

It is common practice at the present time to roll in condenser tubes at each end of the condenser; however, as the shell and the tubes are subject to different temperature conditions and are made of different metals and have different coefficients of expansion, it is necessary to provide for the difference in expansion. A common method is to provide for bowing of the tubes, the relatively greater extent of expansion and contraction of the tubes, with changes in temperature, being taken careof by bowing of the tubes to amore or less extent. Where one or more intermediate tube supporting sheets are employed, it is necessary that a sufficient span shall exist between each pair of plates to provide for bowing to the extent necessary to compensate for the difference in expansion; however, the span may be so great that, with high entering velocities of exhaust steam, the impact of the steam may cause undesirable tube vibration. In accordance with my invention, in addition to the end and intermediate tube plates, I provide movable plates disposed intermediately thereof and having openings therein through which the portion of the tubes of the nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet extend, each movable plate serving as a tie member to hold together a group of tubes so that the tubes are mutually supported and stiffened adjacent to the inlet and between the fixed plates.

A further object of my invention is to provide apparatus of this character having these advantageous features of construction and of operation.

These and other objects are efiected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the-accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional View of a condenser taken along the line I-I O Fig. 2 incorporating my improvement;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detail view, drawn to larger scale, of a movable stiffening plate group.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, in Fig. 1, I show a shell Ill having an inlet II at its top for exhaust steam. The shell is provided with .a condensate outlet l2 and with an air outlet vl3. (Fig. 2.)

Fixed tube and intermediate supporting plates it and I5 extend transversely of the shell and are secured in place with respect thereto, the plates l4 being the usual tube plates and the plates l5 being intermediate tube supporting sheets or plates.

A nest of tubes I6 is arranged within the shell, the tubes extending through openings provided in the plates l4 and I5 and being rolled in at their ends with respect to the plates l4.

Movable tube plate groups, at II, are disposed at the inlet or top side of the condenser and they are positioned between plates l4 and I5 and between alinement plates I 5 to stiffen the tube spans in order to resist tube deflection because of impact of entering steam. As shown, the uppermost tubes [6a extend through the plates of the plate groups, at 11.

Each movable plate group, at H, particularly where the condenser is wide and some variability in temperature conditions may be encountered or where desirable from structural and mechanical points of View, is preferably made in sections. In the drawing, the tube plate group, at I1, is shown as being comprised by sections [8, l9, and 20. I

If the tube nest is laned, as shown at 21 in Fig. 2, the movable plate group is appropriately modified in outline to give the requisite stiffness at the regions of the lanes. In Fig. 2, the intermediate section I9 is modified for this purpose.

The plates of the movable plate groups are movable vertically or transversely of the condenser to accommodate expansion and contraction of the tubes and they are retained longitudinally of the shell. Accordingly, bars 23 carried by the shell and extending transversely of its inlet are each provided with vertical slots 24 in which are slidably arranged the tongues 25 extending upwardly from the upper edges of the movable plate sections [8, l9, and 20.

Where the stiffening plates or movable plate groups are made in a plurality of sections, the adjacent sections are preferably staggered or offset longitudinaly of the shell as shown in Fig. 3,

in order to avoid edge rubbing or binding and to facilitate relative movement.

It will be apparent that the stiffening arrangement is particularly desirable where a condenser is incorporated in a marine arrangement such that the uppermost tubes are spaced relatively close to the turbine exhaust and are therefore subjected to relatively high steam velocities.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it Will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a condenser, a shell having an inlet for exhaust steam; end and intermediate plates carried by the shell; a nest of tubes extending through openings provided in'said plates and connected at their ends to the end plates; bars extending transversely of the shell adjacent to said inlet, provided with openings, and being disposed intermediately of said first plates; and stiffening plates arranged intermediately of said first plates, having the portion of the tubes of the nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet extending through openings provided therein, and having projections sliding in the openings of the bars to provide for movement thereof.

2. In a condenser, a horizontal shell having an inlet for exhaust steam; end and intermediate plates carried by the shell; a nest of tubes extending through openings provided in said plates and connected at their ends to the end plates, bars extending across the shell adjacent to the exhaust inlet and each bar being provided with a plurality of vertical openings which are relatively offset longitudinally of the shell; and stiffening means for the portion of the nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet including groups of movable plates arranged intermediately of the first plates and having the portion of the tubes of the nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet extending through openings provided therein, the plates of each group being relatively offset longitudinally of the shell to provide for freedom of movement thereof, and the plates having tongues extending above the nest and sliding in the openings in the bars so that each plate may be retained in position longitudinally of the shell.

3. In a condenser, a shell having an inlet for exhaust steam; end and intermediate plates carried by the shell; a nest of bowed tubes extending through openings provided in the plates and fastened at their ends to the end plates; and means for stiffening the tubes adjacent to the exhaust inlet to resist the impact of entering steam including plates movable transversely of the shell. arranged intermediately of the first plates, having the portion of the tubes adjacent to the exhaust inlet extending through openings provided therein so as to be carried by such tubes and to cooperate with the latter to provide a stiff structure, and terminating intermediately of the depth of the nestso that the remaining portion of tubes remote from the inlet is free thereof.

4. In a condenser, a shell having an inlet for exhaust steam; end and intermediate plates carried by the shell; a nest of tubes extending through openings provided in said plates and rolled in at their ends to the end plates; the openings in the intermediate plate or plates being offset with respect to the openings in the end plates so as to provide for an initial bowed condition of the tubes; and stiffening means for the portion of the nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet and including plates movable transversely of the shell, arranged intermediately of the first plates, having the portion of the tubes of the nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet extending through openings provided therein so as to be carried by such tubes and to cooperate with the latter to provide a stiff structure, and terminating intermediately of the depth of the nest so thatthe remaining portion of tubes remote from the inlet is free thereof.

5. In a condenser, a shell having an inlet for exhaust steam; end and intermediate plates carried by the shell; a nest of tubes extending through openings provided in said plates and fastened at their ends to the end plates; stiffening means for the portion of the nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet and including plates movable transversely of the shell, arranged intermediately of the first plates, having the portion of the tubes of the nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet extending through openings provided therein so as to be carried by such tubes and to cooperate with the latter to provide a stiff structure, and terminating intermediately of the depth of the nest so that the remaining porion of tubes remote from the inlet is free thereof; and means for retaining said stiifening plates in position longitudinally of the shell.

6. In a condenser, a horizontal shell having an inlet at its top side for exhaust steam; end and intermediate plates carried by the shell; a nest of tubes extending through openings provided in said plates and fastened at their ends to the end plates; and stiffening means for the portion of the nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet and including groups of plates movable transversely of the shell, arranged intermediately of the first plates, having the portion of the tubes of the nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet extending through openings provided therein so as to be carried by such tubes and to cooperate with the latter to provide a stiff structure, and terminating intermediately of the depth of the nest so that the remaining portion of tubes remote from the inlet is free thereof; the plates of each group being relatively offset longitudinally of the shell to provide for freedom of movement thereof.

' '7. In a condenser, a shell having an inlet for exhaust steam; end and intermediate plates carried by the shell; a nest of tubes extending through openings provided in said plates and having their ends fastened to the end plates; the openings in the intermediate plate or plates be ing offset toward the exhaust inlet with respect to the openings in the end plates so as to provide for the tubes being initially bowed toward the exhaust inlet; and stiffening means for the portion of the nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet and including plates movable transversely of the shell, v

arranged intermediately of the first plates, having the portion of the tubes of the nest adjacent to the exhaust inlet extending through openings provided therein so as to be carried by such tubes and to cooperate with the latter to provide a stiff structure, and terminating intermediately of the depth of the nest so that the remaining portion of tubes remote from the inlet is free thereof.

DAVID W. R. MORGAN. 

